Interventions to prevent softball related injuries: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the published evidence on interventions to prevent softball related injuries among adults, and to encourage more epidemiologic research as a foundation for future softball injury prevention efforts. METHODS: The authors reviewed literature identified from six electronic databases for studies on softball related injuries. The search was limited to studies written in the English language, published between 1970 and 2002, and involving adult populations. Research was excluded that evaluated baseball ("hard ball") related injuries or was aimed at injury treatment. Identified studies were categorized by study design. Intervention/prevention papers were evaluated further and described in detail. RESULTS: The search strategy identified 39 studies specifically related to softball. Most studies were case reports/case series (n=13) or descriptive studies (n=11); only four were analytic or intervention/prevention studies. Studies collected data in a variety of ways, often without denominator data to permit calculation of injury rates. Studies also did not differentiate between slow or fast pitch softball activities and most did not mention the type of softball that was used. CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly few studies exist on interventions to reduce injuries during softball, one of the most popular recreational sports in the US. Of the existing literature, much attention has been on sliding related injuries, which comprise only a segment of softball injuries. Basic epidemiologic studies describing the nature, severity, and risk factors for softball injuries in a variety of populations are needed, followed by additional intervention evaluation studies aimed at modifiable risk factors.

[Health behavior among students of public and private schools in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil]. / Comportamentos de saúde entre jovens estudantes das redes pública e privada da área metropolitana do Estado de São Paulo.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of several health behaviors among students of public and private schools in S. Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: An epidemiological survey about health behaviors among high school students was carried out in S. Paulo in 1998. Seventh to eleventh graders from ten public and seven private schools were interviewed. All students were asked to fill out a Portuguese version of the questionnaire used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their annual "Youth Health Risk Behavior Survey". This questionnaire includes questions on driving-related behavior, violence, substance abuse, sexual practices, dietary habits and body weight control. RESULTS: A significant proportion of the students, mainly in the range of 15--18 years old, reported engaging in health-risk behaviors. In public schools, the most prominent risk behaviors were: riding a motorcycle without helmets (reported by 70.4% of the students who were either passengers or the driver); not using condoms in the last sexual intercourse (34% among those sexually active); carrying guns (4.8% in the last year), and suicide attempts (8.6% in the last year). In private schools, substance abuse was the most prominent risk-behavior: 25% reported at least one episode of binge-drinking in the last 30 days, 20.2% sniffed solvents at least once in the last year and 22.2% smoked marijuana in the same period; 13.8% reported using tobacco on a regular basis. Not wearing helmets while riding a motorcycle was also very high, reported by 66.3%. Female students reported less risk-behaviors, except for suicide attempts and unhealthy weight control methods. CONCLUSIONS: The information gathered could contribute to the development of preventive programs at school level, which takes into consideration the students' risk behaviors.